Always
by crazyfreakazoid
Summary: With every ending, comes a new beginning. It had always been him who had saved her, but now that he was gone... What was she to do? Spoilers for manga chapters 416 and 417


**After reading the super depressing chapters (416 & 417) I could not not write something about it. My mind is totally blank now.**

**Nooooooooooooo... How can Kubo-sensei do this?**

**But to be positive, Shinigami are kinda hard to kill, I think they have to have no reiatsu left first then... *Gulps***

* * *

**Always**

"Ahh… I honestly don't know why ya came…" He came closer. "Listen, Rangiku." His smile never wavered. "Yer in the way." He said. Rangiku stared, stunned by what she had just heard. She could not believe her ears yet her eyes revealed what she did not want to see. Gin was pointing Shinsou at her.

**"Please withdraw you sword, Ichimaru-taichou. If not, I'll be your opponent from here on."**

Rangiku was shocked, but she kept her eyes on him. A part of her did not want to believe that Gin would actually hurt her. However, Gin's eyes were closed and his features were veiled in a smiling mask, revealing none of his thoughts.

**Rangiku trembled with the effort of holding Haineko. She had never gone head to head truly with Gin before, but she knew that he was powerful. Rangiku watched as cracks slowly appeared in Haineko's blade, further proving that Gin had truly intended to kill. Still, Rangiku stood firm. Hinamori was unconscious and lying somewhere behind her.**

Gin was frustrated. _'Why is she here? She's so weak… She'll-'_ Gin kept his smile on. He knew what he had to do now. _'I'm sorry, Rangiku… but it's for yer own good…'_ He drew Shinsou. _'Ya have ta stay as far away as possible…'_

**Gin quickly switched the frustrated look on his face to a tight smile, Shinsou slowly returning to its normal length. Hitsugaya made to follow him, but Gin said "Instead of going after me, shouldn't you take of the Go-bantai no fukutaichou-san?"**

There as a bright flash and before she knew it, Rangiku found herself falling to the ground. However, she thought she felt gentle arms around her lowering her to the ground before she slipped into unconsciousness.

Gin jumped off the rooftop to rejoin Aizen, never looking back once.

**As Rangiku watched Gin leave, she remembered a promise that he had made to her when they were young.**

* * *

"_I'll never fight against ya, never!" Gin swore._

"_What if we're on different sides?" Rangiku asked curiously._

"_Then I'll leave." Gin said, the smile on his face replaced by a serious look. "I'll never raise my sword against ya, I can't."_

* * *

**_'You always leave without telling me…'_ Rangiku stared at the spot where Gin had been several seconds before disappearing, not paying any attention to Hitsugaya who had hurried to Hinamori and was trying to wake her up. _'Gin… Where are you trying to go?'_**

Rangiku was suddenly jolted into consciousness. She awoke violently to land on her stomach and she immediately felt a wave of dizziness come over her. "Hah… hah…" She panted. _'This feeling…'_ She tried to breathe evenly. _'Hakufuku…'_

Rangiku tried again to get up, but failed, succumbing to the woozy feeling of disorientation. The kido was working well, messing with her senses. That was before she felt Gin's reiatsu flaring and before plummeting drastically. _'Gin!'_

* * *

Gin stayed where he was after crashing into the building that Aizen had thrown him at. _'Hurts ta try and move… Hell, it hurts even ta breathe!'_ Gin gasped as he took stock of his injuries, feeling his body grow numb. _'Aizen…'_

Aizen had slashed Gin with Kyouka Suigetsu across his left shoulder and yet Gin had still tried to reach for the hougyoku with his right hand, for the one small item that would change everything, the item that was currently residing within Aizen's chest, out in the open for all to see. Aizen had merely ripped his arm off emotionlessly followed by a swift stab to the chest with his zanpakutou. _'So… close… just a little more…'_

Gin had then listened weakly as Aizen thanked him for trying to kill him before throwing Gin through the building closest to Kurosaki Ichigo's human friends. _'Kurosaki… Ichigo… Hurry…'_

Now as Gin lied on the slab on concrete that he had landed on, he felt his body shutting down and he knew that it was over for him.

'_Ahh, I knew it…'_ Gin ignored Aizen, who had come to stand before him, and instead he focused his remaining energy on staying awake. He had to see her again, even if it was for the last time. He closed his eyes and tried to sense her reiatsu, for the one he had tried to keep safe.

She was coming, that much he knew. He could always sense her presence, even with her reiatsu as faint as it was. It was as natural as breathing to him; he had always felt the need to reassure himself that she was all right. However, Gin had to concentrate a little more than usual to detect where she was.

'_Don't come, Rangiku… It's dangerous…'_

Gin felt conflicted. Half of him wanted her to stay away, to run away to somewhere safe, somewhere far, far away from Aizen and away from him as well. He did not want her to see him in such a state, knowing it would only break her heart.

Gin cracked open an eyelid and saw Aizen smirking at him. _'Crap.'_ Gin knew Aizen would kill Rangiku as a punishment for Gin attempting to kill him. _'All the more she shouldn't come…'_ Aizen was not a merciful man, no matter how much he pretended he was thankful for Gin trying to kill him so that he could evolve.

'_Rangiku…'_ Gin's thoughts drifted to the one whom he had done all these for. The other half of him wanted to see her again, for one last time. The brief moments that they had been allowed earlier had not been enough; furthermore it had ended with him immobilizing her with a kido spell disguised as an attack.

Gin wondered if she would forgive him. _'Then again, the fact that she's comin' here probably means that she already has…'_ A small smile curved at his lips. _'She always forgives me in the end. No matter what I did. This is why I'll protect her, always. To keep her light shinin' on.'_

Gin's thoughts flashed to the time where he had made his promise to Rangiku.

* * *

"Gin!" The girl ran up to the boy, whom she had been waiting for. "Where have you been, Gin?" Then she caught sight of what was draped around him and she stopped short. "Those are Shinigami robes…" She looked at him uneasily. "Where did you get them…"

She had a bad feeling about this… She ignored the biting cold of the freshly fallen snow that was seeping through the thin layers of fabric that was her clothes. As she stared at her friend's back, she felt a different kind of coldness that was even colder than the snow.

"I've decided." Gin turned back briefly, and Rangiku saw his face. It was shut off completely, not even his customary smile was present. He had on a blank and remote expression. Gin turned back. "I'm going ta become a Shinigami."

Rangiku stared at him, lost. _'Gin is… Leaving? Then what about me? He's leaving me alone?'_

"Become a Shinigami… And change things." Rangiku tried not to blink. Tears threatened to fall, already blurring her vision. She swiped her face with her sleeve. Gin continued looking away stiffly, as though he was forcing himself nor to look back. "So that they'll end without Rangiku havin' ta cry."

* * *

"GIN! " He heard her calling. He forced his eyes open and saw her dropping from the sky like a beautiful angel. _'My angel,'_ Gin thought. His eyes closed in exhaustion. _'Rangiku...'_

'_It didn't work.'_ Gin flopped there lifelessly. He was hanging only by a thread._ 'In the end, I couldn't get back what was taken from you.'_ Gin could not speak. It took all of his remaining strength just to stay awake. However, he hoped that she could understand him, understand all his actions, when all this was over and the truth was revealed. Rangiku had always understood him better than the most.

'_Strange…'_ Gin thought tiredly. _'I can't hear anything…'_ Gin felt her reiatsu and knew that she was bending over him. If he could just open his eyes, he could see her… See her mouth form his name as she said it over and over again in desperation…

But he couldn't. It was all he could do to not slip off into the darkness that was beckoning to him. He wanted to spend a little more time with her, even if it was for a few minutes. _'Ichigo should be done by now…'_ Gin thought. _'Where is he?'_ Gin had to ensure that she as safe before he left. _'Ichigo is the only one left… Who can stop Aizen…'_

'_Ahh… I knew it…'_ Gin felt himself drifting off. He tried to smile, to reassure her that everything was going to be fine, but his lips didn't respond._ 'I'm glad…'_

Everything was turning black._ 'I said…'_

Gin slipped into darkness. _'I'm sorry…'_

* * *

Rangiku stopped yelling his name, her eyes wide. _'No…'_ The thought echoed throughout her mind. His reiatsu was flickering on and off, and he was just a step away from the afterlife. _'It can't be… It's… It's not possible!'_

"Gin!" She shook him, tears coursing down her cheeks. "It's not funny…" She shook him even harder. "Don't play... Wake up! Gin!"

Inside her heart, Rangiku knew that Gin was almost gone. _'How could anyone survive such an attack?'_ Rangiku then felt horrified with herself. _'No! He'll live… he'll live!'_

There was a hole in her chest where her heart had previously been. But Rangiku didn't want to believe it. She could not accept the fact that the boy who had saved her all those years ago, the person who had encouraged her to live, the man that she loved, was dying before her very eyes.

**"Eat up."**

Rangiku tried as she remembering his promise to her one snowy night. "Gin! You failed… You made me cry… Wake up and make it up to me!" She shook his unmoving body. Behind her, Aizen approached.

"**The fact that ya collapsed due ta hunger…"**

Rangiku sensed Aizen coming, yet she was beyond caring. Let Aizen kill her for all she cared. She would not budge from her spot forcibly. Rangiku reached out a hand to brush his silver hair from his eyes, absently wondering how long it would take for Aizen to stab her.

"**Means ya must have it too, don't ya?"**

Behind her, Aizen suddenly froze and looked back through the corner of his eye. Kurosaki Ichigo stood there, his hair a little longer; his father Kurosaki Isshin slung over one shoulder and his other hand wielding Tensa Zangetsu.

Ichigo glared at Aizen.

Rangiku sneaked a glance, curious. She couldn't feel any reiatsu from Ichigo at all. _'How are you going to end this?'_

* * *

Gin felt it. The slight disturbance in the air that signaled Kurosaki Ichigo's return was akin to a beacon that shone the way back into light. Gin forced himself to open his eyes as he looked at Ichigo.

'_Yeah.'_ Gin noticed Ichigo looking back at him, probably guessing what happened. _'Those are strong eyes.'_ Gin felt himself growing weak. _'Good… In that case…'_ Gin closed his eyes for the last time. _'I can leave and entrust this to you.'_

* * *

Gone. The end.

'_It's the end. It's all over.'_ Rangiku turned her attention back to Gin, feeling him leave. She paid no attention to what was going on. _'Dead. He's dead.'_ The words repeated over and over in Rangiku's mind. _'Gone. He's always leaving me...'_

Rangiku-san.

"Rangiku-san!" Someone touched her shoulder gently. Rangiku looked up.

Ichigo tried not to look startled when he saw the blank look in Rangiku's eyes. The usually vibrant and alive strawberry blonde was a pale shadow of her former self.

"Rangiku-san." Ichigo repeated. Her eyes wandered about, looking for something that wasn't there, before settling on Ichigo.

"Ichigo." Her voice came out as a bare whisper.

Ichigo felt worried, but there were other more pressing matters on hand. One look at Ichimaru and Rangiku near him had told him all that he needed to know. Ichigo picked up his father and gently laid him down near enough for Rangiku to watch, but far enough for privacy.

"I'll deal with Aizen; can I trust you to take care of Oyaji?" Ichigo said patiently, ensuring that she got the message.

He recognized her look. He knew it and understood it. After all, he had been in the same state after his mother had passed away.

"It'll be alright." Ichigo said quietly, bending down to her eye level. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Rangiku merely continued staring at him.

Ichigo was at a loss. Comforting people had never been his forte, but the desolate look of despair that haunted Rangiku made him want to say something. Ichigo's thoughts flashed, and something came to him.

"Aizen." That got her attention. "Aizen, I'll put an end to him. To all of his plans." Ichigo smiled and patted her shoulder. "It'll be alright. Take care of Oyaji for me."

As Ichigo rose and gripped Tensa Zangetsu, he said over his shoulder. "Take care of yourself as well, Rangiku-san. I don't like to see anything happen to one of my nakama." He then grinned as Rangiku shot him a puzzled look, looking more like her old self. "We've fought together before, haven't we?"

"I hope we'll get to do it again." Ichigo gave her a careless wave and went to confront Aizen once more.

* * *

Rangiku watched as Ichigo and Aizen exchanged a few words before Ichigo shut Aizen's mouth by slamming a hand onto Aizen's face and pushing Aizen somewhere far away.

"A chance to fight together again, huh?" Rangiku said. She moved a little and bumped into Gin. Almost immediately her mood turned dark again.

He wasn't smiling, which was ironic considering how much he had smiled when he was alive. Though his later smiles were mostly fake and insincere, Rangiku could still remember the first time she had seen him. He had been smiling then as well.

'_He looked so kind then… So… free of troubles…'_ Rangiku thought. She could still see him, bending down to offer her a dried persimmon.

**"Spirit energy."**

Rangiku reflected on the events leading up to right now, from Gin's actions during the invasion of Seireitei by Ichigo and the rest to save Kuchiki Rukia from execution, to Gin's farewell on Sougyoku Hill, and what had just occurred, her mind placing all the pieces of the puzzle together.

'_Gin… You did that all just for me, didn't you?'_ Rangiku resumed stroking his hair. _'I may not know why, but I know what you were trying to do…'_

**"You… too…"**

"You wanted to protect me, to stop me from being hurt." Rangiku continued aloud. "That's why you sent Kira to lead taichou and I away from the Central Forty-Six chambers; you knew that Kira would engage me in a fight so I wouldn't be able to follow taichou back to find Hinamori. So that Aizen couldn't touch me…"

Her tears dropped onto Gin's pale cheek. "And just now, you used hakufuku… Again to protect me…" She gripped his cold hand. "No wonder they call you a genius." She smiled tightly. "Even now, you're protecting me still… You probably dragged it for as long as you could for Ichigo to get here, didn't you?"

"**Yup, me too."**

Rangiku was utterly bereft, the tears she was shedding slowing into a trickle. She simply had no more tears left to shed. Yet the grief that she felt over Gin's passing hovered over her, pinning her like a boulder, crushing all happiness and leaving her shattered into seemingly too many pieces to ever be mended.

'_I'm tired.'_ She thought. _'Tired of living. I don't care anymore…'_ She was crumbling inside, unable to imagine the thought of never seeing Gin again.

'_Gin… You once saved me, taught me to live, gave me a reason for living… How can you go, just like that?'_ She closed her eyes in pain. _'What am I supposed to do… Tell me, Gin…'_

The wind picked up around her, gently blowing at her hair. Her eyes opened in surprise.

For a moment, Rangiku thought that she had heard Gin's voice. It might have been just a figment of her imagination, yet Rangiku was still deeply affected by what she had heard.

"Gin?" Rangiku called out uncertainly. There was no response. Sighing, Rangiku closed her eyes in resignation. _'He's not coming back. Not now, not ev-'_

At that moment, the wind picked up again, causing her strawberry blonde tresses to fly in the wind.

"Rangiku, I want you to live." With her eyes closed, Rangiku could imagine Gin kneeling before her and saying those words. He was brushing her hair away from her face and wiping her tears. "Whatever happened ta yer fightin' spirit? Ya can't let a single death get yer down!"

"Even if it's mine..." Gin smiled and he then leant forward to kiss her forehead. "I didn't save ya so that ya could die later."

"Gin!" Rangiku exclaimed joyously as she opened her eyes. There was no one there.

"_**Ichimaru Gin. Nice ta meet ya."**_

Yet this time, Rangiku was not sad.

'_Not anymore,'_ She thought fiercely as she bent down to press a kiss onto Gin's cold lips.

'_The time for mourning is over._' Rangiku stood up and adjusted her attire, ensuing that Haineko was in her customary position. She looked down at the white-robed body before her and her gaze softened.

'_For now,'_

The one who had given her life had just done it again. Then again, he was the only one who ever could pick up the shattered pieces of her and join the pieces back together to form Rangiku. He always saved her and made her feel like living.

Crystal tears glittered, hidden within sapphire depths. It was a truly glorious day, the sky a clear blue without a hint of clouds. Perfect weather for frolicking about and skipping work.

'_Too beautiful a day to die…'_ She thought. But one had. Now another was going to pay.

"Aizen!" Rangiku unsheathed Haineko. "You're mine!"

_'Looks like Ichigo doesn't have to wait long for us to fight alongside each other again.'_

It might be Ichigo taking Aizen down, but she was the one who was going to end him.

"_**Gin? That's a strange name…"**_

* * *

**The End**


End file.
